(CNS): The Cayman Islands Fire Service has confirmed that yesterday’s landfill fire remains successfully extinguished after crews monitored the dump through the night. The facility re-opened at 11:15am today and the cause of the fire is under investigation, officials said. Several fire officers stayed overnight at the landfill to observe the scene and ensure there was no re-ignition. Fire officers stayed on location all morning cooling down any possible hot spots to ensure the dump was safe to re-open to the public.

Chief Fire Officer David Hails said the CIFS used three ground monitors to continuously spray large amounts of water on the area. At around 11am Thursday the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service helicopter was deployed again to use its thermal imaging equipment to further assess potential unseen hot spots. The RCIPS then sent thermal aerial photos to the CIFS, who determined that there were no active hot spots.

Chief Hails added that fire crews will continue to stay in position with ground monitors in place for the next 24 hours. The RCIPS helicopter will be deployed around 8:00pm to once again assess the scene.

Home Affairs Minister Tara Rivers, who has responsibility for the fire service, thanked “the dedicated and hardworking fire officers, both the on-duty as well as off-duty officers, and the RCIPS who responded to the call. We are grateful for their swift action and persistent monitoring of the situation.”

Comments (14)

Sometimes when you crush a regular alkaline battery and the components contact each other it can ignite. Lithium batteries produce an even more violent reaction if punctured or crushed. Segregation of all chemicals, batteries and empty propane cylinders by all consumers should be the first order of the day. But I guess starting a system where the consumer is responsible for segregating their own waste would be too much like thinking for the general population let alone CIG to implement and manage. Looks like we’ll have to be satisfied with wallowing in our own cesspool for another 20 years.

google “ battery recycling sparks interest” dated october 11, 2010 and “Recycled batteries get lift off island“, october 26, 2010. It looks like the initiative got stalled.
Lyle runs succesful CPA business in the USA, his time and efforts to start battery recycling in the cayman islands got wasted. Why do expats care about local environment more than its permanent residents?

Shouldn’t have Home Affairs Minister made sure the firefighters she thanked were properly protected?

Atmospheric emissions from landfill fires are often dismissed as a nuisance. The following are two examples of just how serious the ‘nuisance’ is:

-Dioxin emissions are highly toxic and can cause reproductive and developmental problems, damage the immune system, interfere with hormones and also cause cancer.

-Gases and Vapors: landfill fires emit a toxic cocktail of ‘Most Wanted’ fugitive gases including formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen sulfide, nitrogen oxides and many others. Visible smoke might not be visible since compacted waste acts as a good particulate filter, but fugitive gases are able to percolate towards the surface.
A particular problem with smoke, which is largely unburned carbon, is particles that have become activated, in the form of an adsorbent, with a huge appetite for mopping-up ‘most wanted’ contaminants. Very small particles, known as Sub PM2.5s (smaller than 2.5 millionths of a meter in diameter) are capable of remaining airborne for days, and together with adsorbed contaminants will pass directly into the bloodstream once inhaled.

Which mask is best for PM2. 5? N99 respirators filter greater than or equal to 99 percent…” Let’s say that again: a mask rated N95 filters out more than 95% of particles (PM) larger than 0.3 microns — that’s much smaller even than PM2.5 microns.

Investigation , Some anonymous person tried to tell me like I didn’t know how those dump fire starts . Would you plese tell Ms Rivers so she can save some Taxpayers on an investigation . Because it seems that she don’t know how they start .